I am reading aloud to my daughter, "These Happy Golden Years". In the beginning of the book, Laura is teaching at a school about 12 miles from her home and boarding with a man and his wife while she teaches the school for, I believe, 8 weeks. The wife is sullen, rude, silent and brooding. She does not speak to Laura at all, even though Laura tries to be pleasant to her. The wife even threatens to kill her husband one night with a knife if he won't take her home back east. Granted, the homestead winter was not easy, but the contrast between Laura's time with this family, and the Long Winter with her own family, is sharp. Laura refuses to complain about her time out with the Brewsters because she knows her family needs the money to keep Mary in college, even though her very life may be in danger.
She is so overjoyed and thankful at the end of the term, when she returns to her own peaceful home. There is nothing amazing about their home, but Laura's love for her parents and their mutual love and respect for each other sits in sharp contrast to the Brewsters' home.
This morning, I read this scripture:
"Better a little with the fear of the LORD
than great wealth with turmoil.
Better a meal of vegetables where there is love
than a fattened calf with hatred."
- Proverbs 15: 16-17
Although the Brewsters fed Laura sufficiently, the food was flavorless; the atmosphere was heavy in the little claim shanty. She could not break the sullen weight of that disgruntled wife.
Her home with Ma and Pa and her siblings was peace and joy. They never seemed to get ahead materially, but they made do and were thankful for the little they had, even if it was the blackbird pie that they made from the blackbirds that ate their entire cornfield.
It was like the perfect story-picture of this proverb.
Then I thought, how is the atmosphere in my home? Are my children and husband ecstatic to be at home? Is there fear of the Lord and love in my home? or turmoil and strife?
I'd like to think that I have a peaceful and joyful home, but it is something to continually strive for. Circumstances can so often bring turmoil, and those circumstances are so often financial. It's funny that the Proverb not only contrasts love and hatred, but plenty and want - with plenty on the side of hatred, and want on the side of love.
It is best to be content with little, and not to allow the fear of want to squander the faith and love in our homes.
Showing posts with label trusting God with finances. Show all posts
Showing posts with label trusting God with finances. Show all posts
Wednesday, February 8, 2012
Wednesday, September 28, 2011
Budgets and Trusting God
About once a year, I get it in my head that we need a budget. I painstakingly figure everything out on paper. I get excited about how nicely it all works out there on the paper. I listen to the budgeting gurus and am inspired to make ends meet this year, to live within my means.
After a few months, things break down. Car repairs cost $500 and I have only $200 saved in that category. The septic needs pumping and the boiler needs cleaning. $400 when only $200 have been saved in the home maintenance category. We need to put more in that category.....from where? Every penny is budgeted.
Every year, I become more and more anxious about our finances and try to make it work, robbing from Peter’s category to pay Paul’s. In my flesh, I struggle and strive to make it work, but it never does. I just become more and more worried and anxious.
My conclusion, is this: we cannot trust in a budget, or even our own ability to provide. We need to trust God, regardless of our current income. Whether it exceeds our needs or falls short. When I struggle over a budget, am I showing lack of faith in God to provide for all my needs?
Now, I am not opposed to budgets per se. I think they are a tool of good stewardship. We have made a lot of changes in life because we have examined our spending in the course of making a budget. Switching to pay-as-you-go cell phones has probably saved us about $600 a year. Dropping cable: $900 a year. I am thankful that we discovered that, because now we can make one payment on our daughter’s college tuition (what we have pledged to contribute.) Perhaps there are more areas where we can cut.....certainly, cellphones aren’t a need at all, but an expectation in this day and age. Internet? Insurance? One must evaluate whether it is more or less cost effective to NOT have these things.
I think many Americans are profligate in their spending and what they decide is a necessity, really isn’t. Many people are foolish with their $ out of ignorance and end up in debt. People need some instruction in wise spending practices and priorities; needs vs. wants.
As for me, I have finally learned that God doesn’t want me to trust a budget, or become anxious over finances that are insufficient. He wants me to trust Him. I should be a good steward, but know that He always provides, even when the budget doesn’t.
After a few months, things break down. Car repairs cost $500 and I have only $200 saved in that category. The septic needs pumping and the boiler needs cleaning. $400 when only $200 have been saved in the home maintenance category. We need to put more in that category.....from where? Every penny is budgeted.
Every year, I become more and more anxious about our finances and try to make it work, robbing from Peter’s category to pay Paul’s. In my flesh, I struggle and strive to make it work, but it never does. I just become more and more worried and anxious.
My conclusion, is this: we cannot trust in a budget, or even our own ability to provide. We need to trust God, regardless of our current income. Whether it exceeds our needs or falls short. When I struggle over a budget, am I showing lack of faith in God to provide for all my needs?
Now, I am not opposed to budgets per se. I think they are a tool of good stewardship. We have made a lot of changes in life because we have examined our spending in the course of making a budget. Switching to pay-as-you-go cell phones has probably saved us about $600 a year. Dropping cable: $900 a year. I am thankful that we discovered that, because now we can make one payment on our daughter’s college tuition (what we have pledged to contribute.) Perhaps there are more areas where we can cut.....certainly, cellphones aren’t a need at all, but an expectation in this day and age. Internet? Insurance? One must evaluate whether it is more or less cost effective to NOT have these things.
I think many Americans are profligate in their spending and what they decide is a necessity, really isn’t. Many people are foolish with their $ out of ignorance and end up in debt. People need some instruction in wise spending practices and priorities; needs vs. wants.
As for me, I have finally learned that God doesn’t want me to trust a budget, or become anxious over finances that are insufficient. He wants me to trust Him. I should be a good steward, but know that He always provides, even when the budget doesn’t.
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